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If you’re training for a Summer or Fall Race, welcome to what I call Laundry Season. Sure, some people call this time of year Spring, but here in Florida it’s the start of the sweatiest time of the year. And sweaty season means more laundry.
I'm all in for the Palm Beaches Marathon Weekend, which means I'll be running a lot during Laundry Season. That’s why it seems like a good time to share these tips. If you’re like me, you want your active wear to smell fresh and last a long time. Keep reading for performance wear laundry tips that work for me.  Training this Summer? Follow these tips to prevent problems with your expensive activewear. (Image: ThisOldRunner) 1. Don't Let Your Running Gear Grow Bacteria & MoldDid you know that smelly bacteria and mold grow faster in a pile of sweaty clothes? It's true! Bacteria loves living in damp synthetic material. It's hard to wash workout clothes immediately, but it's easy to reduce the chance of mold, bacteria and funky smells. If you can't wash right away, hang your sweaty clothes on your shower curtain rod, a hook or outside after you workout. Let your clothes fully air dry cuts down on the growth of bacteria. And remember, bacteria = smell.  A pile of damp, sweaty workout clothes is a breeding ground for bacteria and mold. (Image: ThisOldRunner)  If you can't wash workout clothes right away, hang them over the shower rod or outside to dry. This will help eliminate smells and bacteria until you can launder them. (Image: ThisOldRunner) 2. Ditch the Fabric Softener and Dryer SheetsIt might seem like a good idea to add fabric softener to the wash, but it's never a good idea to use it on your expensive performance wear. Fabric softener is absorbed into synthetic fabrics. The residue builds up making it harder and harder to get your gear clean. Instead of helping, it makes odors and sweat cling to your clothes. This advice goes for both liquid fabric softener and dryer sheets. Just don't do it.  Ditch the softener and dryer sheets to give your clothes a better chance at getting and staying clean and fresh. (Image: ThisOldRunner) 3. Air Dry Your Performance GearJust like hot water can ruin the longevity of your gym clothes, so can hot air. It breaks down the elastic and makes colors fade. Heat also can bake the stink into fabric. Don't EVER dry your workout gear on high heat in the dryer. Instead, consider air drying your clothes outside on a line, inside on hangers or a clothes rack. If that isn't an option, use air dry or the lowest heat setting on your machine. Air drying is the best way to preserve the elasticity and colors in your sportswear.  Air drying (inside or outside) is the best way to make your expensive workout clothes last. (Image: ThisOldRunner) More Tips for Taking Care of Your Running ClothesThose are my top 3, easy-to-do tips. If you want more, try the suggestions below. I've used them all and my workout gear definitely smells good and lasts a lot longer. Good luck, and Happy Laundry Season!  Want more ideas? We've got you covered with more tips below. (Image: ThisOldRunner) Wash Your Clothes Inside Out Washing clothes inside-out helps protect the color, and gives your activewear a deeper clean. Think about it — the inside of your clothes is where the real dirt happens. Armpit stains, body bacteria, etc. Turning things inside out before washing puts the bacteria in direct contact with water and detergent. Pre-soak to Eliminate Odors You can use a commercial oxidizing additive or white vinegar to help get out hearty smells. Presoaking your clothes for an hour or more in half a cup of white vinegar mixed with cold water helps remove stinky odors as well as break down sweat stains. You can use the presoak cycle on your machine, or do it in a sink or bathtub. Another option is to add an oxidizing agent like Oxiclean in your washing machine load. I've been doing this forever. It's easy and definitely gets the stink out. Use a Sports-Specific Detergent Detergents made especially for activewear are specially formulated for moisture-wicking fabrics. They're made to fight odor and deep clean synthetic materials. They're definitely worth trying on your expensive performance outfits. Just remember, with detergent more doesn't equal better. Adding extra detergent makes it harder for your washing machine to rinse out your clothes. Soap buildup acts like a sweat and odor magnet. Too much soap is a bad idea. Race Announcement!Garden of Life Palm Beaches Marathon WeekendI’m thrilled to be running the Garden of Life Palm Beaches Half for the first time in December. Use Discount Code "BIBRAVE15" to SAVE 15% on registration! I'm so excited that I'm determined to train all Summer. I'll be using all these laundry tips to help me get through the sweaty season. Check out the race events and course below. Click any image to register and join me in West Palm Beach in December!   The Garden of Life West Palm Beaches Marathon Weekend: Choose 5K or 10K on Saturday, a Marathon, Half Marathon or Marathon Relay on Sunday. There are Challenges and Virtual Options, too. #GardenofLifeWestPalmBeachesMarathon #GardenofLifeSunRun #PalmBeachesMarathon #PalmBeachesHalfMarathon #PBMarathonBR #BibRave #BibChat #FloridaRaces #FloridaHalfMarathon #GardenofLife #ThisOldRunner #BibRavePro #HoorayRunning #WorkoutLaundry #HowToWashWorkoutClothes #RunnerLaundry @palmbeachesmarathon
Race medals are festive, fun and fantastic. And don't forget meaningful. Ask anyone who trained hard and finished a race — their finisher medal is more than a participation award. It's a symbol of making a plan, sticking to it, and accomplishing a goal! That's why I think you may be interested in a new way to display your precious medals. Check out how Joe at Handcrafted Coasters turned my inaugural St. Pete Run Fest medal into a useful piece of art! Disclaimer: I received a custom Handcrafted Coaster to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about being a BibRave Pro, and check out BibRave.com to review, find, and write race reviews Before and AfterI chose to have my St. Pete Run Fest Half Marathon medal made into a coaster because it's from the inaugural running of a favorite local race. The medal is colorful and fun. I think it will be perfect in a set of coasters with other local races. (I'm looking at you Best Damn Race, St Pete Beach Classic and Gasparilla!) Let's look at what happens when you order from Handcrafted Coasters.
Sending Your Medal to Handcrafted Coasters
2. After you complete your online order, Handcrafted Coasters sends you a pre-addressed padded envelope. It includes tissue paper to wrap your medal for extra protection during shipping. Remove the lanyard from your medal before shipping. If you forget, Handcrafted Coasters will remove it and return it with your completed coaster. You pay the postage to send in your medal because the cost depends on the weight, size and carrier. It cost me about $5 via USPS to send my medal to Joe. (They send it back for free.) What Happens Next?What happens when your medal arrives at Joe's workshop? Joe gets to work. He prepares your wood choice by cutting and planing rough wood. Then he sands it, cuts it to coaster size, and sands it again. These coasters truly are HAND CRAFTED!  Here Joe is cutting wood to size for coasters. You can choose from six different wood types, which are naturally finished to enhance the grains and color of the material.  Here Joe's sanding the cut to size coasters before routing. Routing the WoodJoe carefully measures every aspect of your medal. He inputs the measurements into software that works with his woodworking equipment. Next, Joe carves your medal into the wood you selected.  The router is working it's magic. Here's the start of the shape of a medal being carved into the wood.  Wow! Can you see my future coaster?! In this photo the initial router work is done. Fine-tuning the FitJoe places the medal into the cut out wood and double and triple checks the fit. When he's happy with it, he moves on to the next step.  How cool is this? Side note: my original medal had moving feet on the pelican. Joe tried a couple of options to keep them, but it wasn't possible. I have to say I love it like this! I mention this as something to keep in mind when choosing which medal you want to use. Epoxy PourOnce the medal is inlaid in the wood it's time to seal it in with a protective coating of epoxy. The epoxy permanently seals your medal in the wood, making it water and heat resistant. Heat resistance level isn't suitable for very high temperatures. For example, you can use it for coffee, tea and soup; but don't use it as hot dish trivet. The back of each coaster is sprayed with lacquer for durability and strength. Cork pads are added to protect any surface you place your coaster on. The photo below shows an assortment of medals after the epoxy pour. Check out mine, second from the right on the bottom row.  The front of the medal is coated with epoxy. The back of the coaster is lacquered. Removing Air Bubbles from the EpoxyJoe uses a torch to coax the air bubbles out of the epoxy to create a clear, smooth finish. All process photos credit: Hand Crafted Coasters. All other photos credit: This Old Runner Cheers to Your Finished CoasterAfter your coaster is cured, it's returned to you. I received my coaster 3-4 weeks after sending in my medal. Handcrafted Coasters returns your coaster in a secure envelope or box at no charge. Domestic shipping is free. Pull it out of the package and enjoy your new drink pedestal! I'll be back to show you how I use my new treasure!  I'm just over here admiring my new Handcrafted Coaster! Isn't it a beauty? Ready to Upgrade Your Medals?Click on over to Handcrafted Coasters to turn your medal into a coaster, or set of coasters. Hurry up to take advantage of the online sale on coaster SETS. Gift Cards AvailableIf you have a special athlete in your life, this makes an absolutely wonderful gift! Now's the time to plan for a unique Mother's Day, Father's Day, birthday or Anniversary gift. Gift cards are delivered by email and contain instructions to redeem them at checkout. Gift cards have no additional processing fees. If you have another idea to mark your achievement, email [email protected] to discuss your ideas. Check out the website to see his variety of work. Check Out More Handcrafted CoastersWant to see more examples of a Handcrafted Coaster? Check out Blue Grass BAMR's write up on her gorgeous Urban Bourban Half Marathon medal turned coaster. It's a beauty! See She Runs By The Seashore's review of her beautiful Rehoboth Beach Half Marathon medal. Turning it into a coaster is the perfect way to preserve it. Admire what happened when She Runs By Faith had her CIM (California International Marathon) medal transformed into a coaster. It's a beautiful keepsake now. #HandcraftedCoastersBR #UniqueRunnerGifts #HoorayRunning #RunStPete #StPeteRunFest #UniqueGifts #BibChat #BibRavePro #Handcrafted #MedalDisplay #RunnerGift #Craftsman #RunningGifts #ThisOldRunner #HalfMarathon #MedalMonday #MondayMood
Disclaimer: I received an entry to the Gasparilla Distance Classic to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about being a BibRave Pro, and check out BibRave.com to review, find, and write race reviews  Use Code "BIBRAVE2023" to SAVE $5 on Any RaceI think the entry fees for the Gasparilla Distance Classic are good to begin with, but who doesn't want to SAVE $5 with a discount code? It feels especially good when you use the code BEFORE a price increase. Head to RunGasparilla.com and sign up before prices go up on Friday, Jan. 13 at midnight. You can see the half marathon pricing below, but all the race entry fees increase on Friday.  Gasparilla Half Marathon Training - Week 8 I'm tracking my training progress in a watercolor journal. Here's my check in from week 8. (Credit: ThisOldRunner) Week 8 of training for the @rungasparilla half marathon felt good to me. I have missed workouts for the 3 previous weeks due to being sick, travel, and all the holidays. A good week of workouts put my mind and body in a good place. I'm ready to see how far back in shape I can get before race day. Race weekend in Feb. 24-26; the half marathon is on Sunday, the 26th. I'm feeling optimistic! There are 4 Distances You Can Run During the Gasparilla Distance Classic Weekend in Tampa, FLIf you want to join me, use “BIBRAVE2023” to get $5 OFF any race. There's a 5K, 8K, 15K and Half Marathon. Click any image for more info. Run a Challenge by Racing 2 to 4 Different EventsOr, you can register for one of the Challenges that include a couple or all the races. There were still a few spots left in the challenges when I looked.  The #GasparillaDistanceClassic is the perfect winter getaway race. Florida is beautiful in February! You'll find all the details on race weekend at www.rungasparilla.com Sneak Peek at Gasparilla Half Finisher's MedalTalk about LOOT! Half Marathon finishers get this fine treasure! The Gasparilla Distance Classic is known for it's colorful shirts and medals.  (Image credit: Gasparilla Distance Classic) #GDCBR #PGDC #PGDC2023 #RunGasparilla #RunTampa #RunStPete #DiscountCode #GasparillaDistanceClassic #GasparillaHalf #BibChat #BibRavePro #RaceDiscount #HoorayRunning #ThisOldRunner #Racecation #RunFlorida
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary jar of Save My Sole Foot Rescue Cream to review. Thoughts and opinions are mine. Save My Sole® Gives Runners' Happy FeetLike most runners, my feet take a beating. It seems like the first few weeks of every new training cycle results in dry skin and cracked heels. Lucky for me, Peak10Skin® sent me a sample of their Save My Sole® Foot Rescue Cream as I began my Gasparilla Distance Classic training last month. Keep reading to see how I've been using Save My Sole® to repair my feet. I've gotta say, I'm really (really!) happy with the results after just a few weeks.
 Super smooth and creamy! Save My Sole® Foot Rescue Cream has shea butter, menthol, eucalyptus, and Globulus leaf oil. (Image: ThisOldRunner) How I Use Save My Sole® Foot Rescue Cream
Step 2: Exfoliate Dead Skin
The shea butter has lots of Vitamin E which helps to lock in moisture and hydration to repair skin. Other active ingredients are eucalyptus, menthol, and limonene. These ingredients offer anti-inflammatory benefits that help to soothe tired, sore feet. Reminder: Be gentle when exfoliating. If you scrub too hard you'll damage your skin. And, don't use a pumice stone every day. Once or twice a week is good. Step 3: Apply Save My Sole® Foot Rescue CreamMoisturize, moisturize, moisturize! When my feet are ready, I apply Save My Sole by massaging it into my feet with a circular motion. A massage always feels good and helps with circulation. I put Save My Sole® on my entire foot, including between my toes. Side note: the eucalyptus, limonene and menthol in the lotion make it smell so good. It was extra soothing to me during a recent sinus infection.
Images: ThisOldRunner and iStock. Step 4: Wear Socks to Seal in the MoistureSeal in that Moisture! Once I've washed, exfoliated and massaged the cream into my feet, I slip into a pair of socks. This helps seal the moisture into my skin, and prevents me from leaving shea butter footprints all over the house. At night, I may keep the socks on overnight for maximum moisturizing. Doing this made a huge difference in just one application. Lately, I've been wearing holiday socks after moisturizing my feet!  After applying Save My Sole Foot Repair Cream, I slip into some socks to lock in that beautiful moisture. (Image: ThisOldRunner) My RecommendationsThe directions on the jar suggest applying Save My Sole® Foot Repair Cream twice a day. If you can do that, go for it. I'm more consistent with a nighttime application since I can put on socks and relax afterwards. If I'm headed out for a run, I'll apply in the morning since I'll be wearing socks. I noticed improved skin right away, so I'm good now with once a day. Your choice will depend on the condition of your feet. Here's another tip! Don't stop at your feet. I've been putting Save My Sole® on my elbows and shins, too. It does a great job of moisturizing all my rough skin. A little goes a long way when you massage it in. (BTW, Peak10Skin® offers a hand and foot cream combo!) I am really happy with the results. My feet are happy, and my skin hasn't cracked as I add extra miles to my running routine. I definitely recommend this cream! SAVE 20% with Discount Code "RUNNER"Right now you can SAVE 20% on everything at Peak10Skin.com. That includes the limited time offer of a FREE Exfoliating Block and Gift Box when you buy Save My Sole® Foot Rescue Cream.
PEAK 10 SKIN® and SAVE MY SOLE® are Registered Trademark of Breck Edge LLC, Payson, Arizona. All Rights Reserved.
#Peak10Skin #SaveMySole #FootRepairCream #DiscountCode #RunnerReview #HoorayRunning This Hoodie Keeps You Warm...and CoolWe've all been there — freezing cold at the start of a run or race, then overheated after a mile or two. Then, a few miles later when the sun disappears, you're cold all over again. Or, how about this scenario: You start your race wearing gloves/mittens. After a while you stuff them in a pocket during the race. After you finish your race, you discover you only have ONE mitten! The other one fell out of your pocket somewhere out there on the race course. Yeah, that's happened to me a couple of times. And I've seen plenty of other people's lost gloves and mittens while racing. That won't EVER happen if you wear the new performance Turtle Gloves Mitten Hoodie. This mitten hoodie can be as flexible as the weather and your body temperature. Keep reading to see how they work.  #TurtleGloves Mitten Hoodie has built-in convertible mittens to keep your hands warm while you're running or doing other outside things. #TurtleGlovesBR Disclaimer: I received a Turtle Gloves Mitten Hoodie to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about being a BibRave Pro, and check out BibRave.com to review, find, and write race reviews! Turtle Gloves Mittens are Built-in to the HoodieCheck out the photo below. My mittens are connected to the sleeves of my hoodie! But this system is waaaayyyyy better than the old safety pin and string method we used as kids. The conversion mittens are sewn into the cuff on the sleeve. But the beauty part is that they're only sewn on one side. That makes it easy to slip in and out of them. And because the mittens/fingerless gloves are attached, you'll never lose them!  Wearing the full on mittens is easy. Just slip your hand into them and go! The Mittens Convert into Fingerless GlovesIf you don't need the full mitten treatment, fold the mitten back and wear the fingerless gloves. The fingerless gloves are a long length to give you warmth + flexibility. Of course, you can fold them back again to create short fingerless gloves, if that works better for you.  Fold back the mittens for the fingerless glove option. This lets you use your fingers but keeps your hands warm. Don't Need Mittens? No ProblemThe best part of the Turtle Glove Mitten Hoodie is you can tuck away the mittens when you don't need them. Now, you're wearing a traditional hoodie — but you're always ready if the temperature drops! This lightweight hoodie also has two deep fleece-lined front pockets. I wouldn't run with my phone in them, but they're good for carrying fuel.  Fold your mittens back into the sleeve and you have a regular sleeve. Did I mention there are two fleece-lined front pockets, too? They're the perfect place to stash something like race fuel. It's Easy to Check Your Stats on the RunOne of the things I like best about this design is the watch window. When I'm bundled up, I don't want to peel back my gloves and layers to check my pace. Because the gloves are sewn onto the sleeve cuff on the underside, it's easy to view your watch without struggling to push back layers.  Bonus points for the watch view! Just push the cuff back to check your pace or BP while you're running. There's a watch gusset on BOTH wrists! A Few More Design DetailsRight now you can get the lightweight performance pullover Turtle Gloves Mitten Hoodie in gray or light green. (Sorry, the orange is sold out!) This model has the Watch Gusset on both outside wrists for viewing GPS watch, Health ID bracelets or inspiration bracelets. You can wear the outside cuff over your watch to keep batteries warm, or fold it up for continuous viewing. Just like the hood, you now have mittens ready when you need them. This performance hoodie fabric is made for fitness. The wicking material provides breathable comfort. Wear it alone or as a base layer. The hoodie is designed with extra length and roominess so you can wear it over other layers. The body, front pockets, hood and mittens are all lined with lightweight fleece for cozy comfort. Overall, I think this hoodie is a winner! I Have a Turtle Gloves Discount Code for YouYep! Use discount code "TURTLEBIBRAVE" until 12/31/22 to get 20% OFF your order! Check out all the warm goodies at Turtle Gloves.com. They offer a wide variety of gloves, mittens, hoodies, hats and wraps to keep you warm all winter. There's a zip-front mitten hoodie for people who prefer that over a pullover. Go check it out! #TurtleGlovesBR #TurtleGlovesHoodie #RunnerGear #DiscountCodes #ChristmasGiftsForRunners #Mittens #Activewear #BibRavePro #BibChat #HoorayRunning #DiscountsForRunners #TurtleGloves
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